Do you lose your whole day to one appointment? 'Waiting mode' may be why

by Rebecca Ellis, The Conversation

edited by Gaby Clark, reviewed by Andrew Zinin

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You have a 3 p.m. appointment. It's now 10 a.m., and somehow your entire day already feels out of reach. Maybe you find yourself unable to start anything properly. You feel on edge, waiting for something to begin or end. You check the time again and again. Even a positive, planned event, like a friend visiting later, can leave you feeling stuck.

For many neurodivergent people, this experience has a name: "waiting mode."

Waiting mode describes a state of mental standby before an upcoming event, where focusing on anything else becomes difficult, sometimes even impossible. The event itself does not have to be negative. In fact, it can be something anticipated, neutral or even enjoyable. What matters is that it exists in the near future—later that day or sometimes days ahead—shaping everything that comes before it.

It is not only triggered by fixed appointments, either. In fact, vague time frames can make it worse: "this afternoon," "sometime today" or a delivery due "between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m." can cause anxiety and feelings of being overwhelmed. Without a clear boundary, the waiting expands to fill the entire day.

Waiting mode can be experienced differently from person to person. For some, it is cognitive, described as a kind of fog, mental disorientation or even "torment" that makes it hard to concentrate. For others, it is physical—a slowing down, a heaviness, an inability to get started. Many report a sense of paralysis, as though they are suspended in time.

A mind in standby

The feeling of not being able to do anything until it's over is a commonly discussed phenomenon in online discussions. Tasks that would normally be manageable suddenly feel impossible to begin. Time is watched closely, but not used particularly effectively. There is often an underlying anxiety, too: a fear of forgetting, of being late, of getting the timing wrong.

That anxiety can turn inward. People speak about replaying the upcoming event in their minds, running through possibilities, planning for what might go wrong in an attempt to feel more prepared. But this rumination can deepen the sense of being stuck. With no clear sense of what can comfortably be achieved before the event, even small decisions, like what task to start or what to prioritize, can become overwhelming.

Delays and uncertainty tend to intensify the experience. When a plan shifts or remains undefined, it can feel as though control over the day has been lost entirely.

Despite how widely recognized this phenomenon is within neurodivergent communities, waiting mode is not a formal clinical term. Instead, it overlaps with several well-documented traits, particularly in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). For example, researchers have explored differences in time perception, sometimes referred to as "time blindness," "time dilation" or "time agnosia." This affects how people estimate time, judge duration and track its passing.

Within this context, waiting mode may be understood as a response to uncertainty. If time is difficult to measure or predict, staying in a kind of mental holding pattern can feel safer than misjudging it altogether. It also connects to executive functioning differences, which can make it harder to start or switch between tasks, particularly under pressure.

Differences in time perception have also been noted in dyslexic and autistic people. It may suggest that this experience is not limited to one group, but part of a broader neurodivergent relationship with time.

Taking back control of the day

For those who experience waiting mode, small adjustments can help. One of the most effective is scheduling important events earlier in the day, which reduces the amount of time spent in anticipation. Where that is not possible, adding structure can make a difference. This may include breaking the day into smaller, defined blocks or choosing specific, low-pressure tasks to complete beforehand.

External supports are often helpful, too. Timers, alarms and digital reminders can reduce the mental load of having to hold the event in mind. Setting multiple reminders, rather than relying on one, can also help interrupt periods of hyperfocus and provide gentle prompts to shift attention.

Preparation can ease the pressure further. Laying out what is needed the day before, or planning the steps required to get ready, can create a sense of control and free up mental space. Over time, tracking how long tasks actually take can also make it easier to judge what is realistically achievable before an event begins. This is often accompanied by the creation of a schedule to follow.

But alongside these strategies, there is a quieter, more important element: recognizing the experience for what it is. Naming waiting mode allows people to understand that this is not simply procrastination or poor time management, but a genuine way of experiencing time and anticipation.

For many, that recognition alone brings a degree of relief. The day may still feel fragmented, the hours still shaped by what is to come. But it is no longer a personal failing—just another way the mind tries to make sense of time.

Key medical concepts

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity DisorderDyslexiaAutism Spectrum Disorder

Clinical categories

PsychiatryPsychology & Mental health Provided by The Conversation Who's behind this story?

Gaby Clark

MA in English, copy editor since 2021 with experience in higher education and health content. Dedicated to trustworthy science news. Full profile →

Andrew Zinin

Master's in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast. Plays key role in Science X's editorial success. Full profile →

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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